Audio / Video Hobby-ism since 1993

Forget the Quality, Feel the Width

9 Apr 2009

Film Noir a Day Fortnight - D.O.A.

The Maundy Thursday Noir was D.O.A. (1949)

Frank Bigelow gets slipped a mickey in a San Francisco amphetamine jive joint full of Hep Cats speaking 'Cloud Nine, Daddy-O'. Told he has 24 hours to live, he spends the rest of film frantically finding out who has poisoned him and why. Uneven public domain thriller, stuffed with good lines. Edmond O'Brien, a picture of harrassed exuberance here (and a mixed budget stalwart) also features in 'The Killers', 'Brute Force' & 'White Heat'. The Director, Rudolph Mate was another well-respected Eastern European cinematographer (Born Krakow 1898). The picture was shot by Ernest Laszlo (Born Budapest 1898). As with many public domain Noirs, the print is not pristine but still holds up well.